We use cookies on reading.ac.uk to improve your experience. Find out more about our
cookie policy. By continuing to use our site you accept these terms, and are happy for us to use cookies to improve your browsing experience.

BA ANCIENT HISTORY AND HISTORY V117

Full Time: 3 Years

With the BA Ancient History and History go on a journey through your favourite historical periods, from ancient Greece through Medieval Europe to Cold War Britain, with our highly regarded and award-winning teaching staff.

This course enables you to study the classical world alongside modern history. Ancient History gives you an understanding of the cultures and societies of the Greek and Roman worlds, a period spanning from 2000 BC to around 600 AD, while modern history focuses on the era from the Crusades to the 1960s.

Your first year is about discovery and experimentation. You will address important modern questions and trace them back to their roots, exploring different periods of history through both literary and material sources. You can enhance your knowledge of the ancient world through Ancient History modules and optional Latin and Greek language modules, or deepen your understanding through hands-on experience with artefacts from the Ure Museum.

Your History modules will lead you through the last thousand years, giving you the chance to explore different historical periods before pursing your own interests later in the course.

To complement your studies you can choose one of the History Department's popular employability modules and gain useful transferable skills and work experience. The University also offers all students the chance learn a modern language alongside their core subjects.

You will be encouraged to gain direct experience of ancient sites through independent travel, for which you can apply for our annual travel bursary. You can also apply to study at the British School at Athens and the British School at Rome, which both offer summer school opportunities to University of Reading students.

Placement

Work placements are encouraged and both Departments benefit from a dedicated placements officer to help with CV writing and letters of application. History's "Discovering archives" module is ideal if you are interested in a career in libraries or archives, while "Going public" provides an insight into heritage and museum work. The University's museums also provide a number of voluntary placements.

If you would like to gain first-hand experience of life in another culture you can choose to study abroad for part of your degree through our Erasmus+ programme.

Quick look entry requirementsA Level ABB-BBB | IB 30-32 pts overall

At Reading, we reward commitment. Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS, and we will guarantee you a place should you achieve the lower grade in the offer range (shown below):

Typical offer

International Baccalaureate

30–32 points overall including 5 in History at higher level

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

English language requirements

Further requirements

If you are an international student planning to apply for one of our degree programmes, you may need to take a foundation course or pre-sessional course if you do not have qualifications that are equivalent to British A levels or if you need to improve your English language level.

How much will it cost?

How much will it cost?

* UK and EU Fee Changes

UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

Information on this page is based on 2019/20 figures and is likely to change slightly for 2020/21 entry. We will publish up-to-date information about 2020/21 entry as soon as it becomes available.

From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

**EU students in 2019/20

EU home students starting in the academic year 2019/20 will pay the same fees and have the same eligibility for loans and grants as UK home students for the duration of their course. The situation for students starting in 2020/21 is not yet known and may be affected by UK Government policy following the outcome of any negotiations regarding the UK’s exit from the European Union. The UK Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.

Additional Costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

* UK and EU Fee Changes

Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.

The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

What career can you have?

What career can you have?

This combination of subjects will provide you with a range of transferable skills. Historians have to analyse a wide variety of sources to produce reasoned conclusions, and this helps develop clear thinking, written and oral communication skills, time management, adaptability, independence, and the ability to understand different cultures.

Additionally, if you choose to study abroad you will develop further desirable skills such as independence, knowledge of different cultures, international communication skills and adaptability.

Our previous graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers, including work in accountancy and banking, the government and the civil service, law, heritage and museums, teaching, publishing, public sector management, libraries and archives, and media research and production. Past employers include GCHQ, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the University of Oxford, the British Museum, the NHS, the Environment Agency and Sotheby's.

Alternatively, you can choose to further develop your research skills by moving on to postgraduate studies.

Studying for a joint honours degree at the University of Reading has been invaluable to me. Going from a lecture on 5th-century BC Athens to one on Cold War politics definitely keeps my brain fresh and engaged. It allows for comparison across the centuries and enables me to see how society progresses and changes in terms of technology, warfare and plenty of other areas. It has provided me with many opportunities when it comes to my learning experience and I never feel limited, especially in choosing modules. On top of all this it has given me two departments to meet people and make friends in. I couldn't recommend it more!